Mail-catcher.



W. N. AUCLAIR.

MAIL CATCHER.

APPLICATION F1LED APR.20, 1915.

43, Patented May 30,1916.

2 SHEETS--SHEET I.

W. N. AUCLAIR.

MAIL CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20, I9Is.

Patented May 30, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@wi/kwam `TT FTQF.

WALTER N. AUCLAIR, F DENTS, OREGON.

MAIL-CATCHER.

Application filed April 20, 1915. Serial No. 22,697.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WALTER N. AUCLAIR, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lente, in the county ofMultnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certainv new and usefulImprovements in Mail-Catchers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved mail catcher and the principalobject of the invention is to provide a mail catcher so constructed thata mail bag may be taken from a car while in motion, the sack beingsuspended from a bar releasably held in an operative position beneaththe carrying crane and dropped into a receptacle mounted adjacent thetrack as the train passes the station.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forreleasably holding the carrying bars in an operative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type ofreceptacle for catching the sack after the trigger has been moved to theposition to release the carrying bar.

Another object of the invention is to so mount the receptacle that itmay rotate when the sack is dropped into the same.

Another object of the invention is t0 so construct this receptacle thatit may be placed between the track for use in connection with trainsgoing in opposite directions or may be used in connection with a single.track line for taking mail sacks from trains going in both directions.

Another object of the invention is to provide the receptacle withimproved means for causing the receptacle to rotate when the means isstruck by the mail sack.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of cranearm for carrying the supporting bar and to provide improved means forguiding the movement of the crane into and out of the car.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a view showing the mail transferring mechanism in elevationwith the car shown in rear elevation and having one wall broken away toshow the manner of mounting the crane in the car. Fig. 2 is a viewshowing the receptacle or bowl in vertical section with its standard inelevation. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the receiving device shown inFig. 3. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the crane together with itscarrying standard and guiding track.

In describing this invention reference will first be had to the carryingmechanism mounted in the mail car 10 so that the sack 1l can beconnected with the carrying bar 12 while the crane arm 13 is stillwithin the car and the crane arm then swung outwardly through thedoorway of the car to a position in which the handle 14 of the trigger15 can be engaged by the receiving mechanism to be hereinafterdescribed. This crane arm 13 is pivotally mounted upon the bearing nger16 of the standard 17 and is provided at its inner end portion with anextension 18 terminating in the harp 19 in which the flanged roller 20is rotatably mounted. This roller 2O is flanged so that the flanges maybe positioned above and below the track 21 which track is connected withthe wall of the car by fasteners 21 as shown in Fig. 1 and. supportedfrom the roof of the car by means of the hanger 22. Therefore when theroller 20 is in place the crane arm will be guided in its swingingmovement and have its inner end portion supported so that the strainwill be removed from the pivot pin 23 passing through the crane arm 13and thus the pivot pin prevented from being bent or broken and the cranearm prevented from binding upon the bearing finger 26 which bindingwould tend to prevent the crane arm from moving easily.

The carrying bar 12 when in an operative position extends horizontallybeneath the outer end portion of the crane arm 13 and has its inner endportion connected with the crane arm by means of the link 13 and itsouter end portion positioned upon the trigger 15 between the lips 24 ofthe latch 25. Therefore the carrying bar will be prevented fromslipping'off of the trigger plate 15 and will be releasably held in theelevated position until the trigger is moved to the dotted line positionshown in Fig. 4. When this trigger is moved to the dotted line positionthe carrying bar will be released and will drop to the positionindicated by the dotted lines thus releasing the mail bag and permittingit to drop into the receptacle The receiving mechanism which is shown inFigs. l, 2 and 3 will now be described. The standard 26 of thisreceiving mecha- Vnism is embedded in the ground adjacent the track andis provided with an enlarged base 27 providing a firmer foundation andalso providing a support for the bearing collar 28 upon which thebearing balls 29 are positioned. It is of course obvious that if desiredthe bearing 28 could be cast integral with the base 27'of the standardthus providing a more rigid structure. Upon this standard26 there isrotatably mounted afsleeve 30 which carries the bowl or receptacle 31and has its lower end portion formed into a bearing collarl 32 having atrack formed therein to receive the bearing balls 29.. vThereforethere-will be no bindingat the lower end portion of the receptacle andthe receptacle will turn freely. The. upper end portionaof thissleeve isalso providediwith a bearing collar v33 which carriesxthe bearingV balls34 positioned between Vthe bearing collar 33 of the sleeve and thebearing collarV 35 adjustably mounted upon the standard above the sleeveand releasably held in an adjusted position by means of the set screw36. By moving `the bearing collar 35 upon the standard the amount ofpressure placed upon the bearing balls can be regulated and through thisvmeans the Jfreedom with which the bowl or receptacle is rotated may becontrolled. VIt is desired to have the bowl rotate when the mail bagsdrop into the same `and in order to accomy VtentsV oflthe mail.V sackfrom being injured plishV this there has been provided abutment plates`37.' extending from the bearing collar Y 33.to the bottom of the bowl.As the train passes the track device the handle 14 of the trigger willstrike one of the releasing rods 38 carried by the rod39 and the triggerwill thus be moved to-a position to release the carrying bar 12 andpermit the sack to drop into the bowl. In doing so :the sackwill strikeone vof the Vabutment plates 37 thus causing the receptacle to 'rotateupon the standard 26 and takeup the force of the blow received. Thiswill prevent the Vconand'will also prevent danger of the mail bagsVbeing deflected andfdropping upon the ground instead of into thereceptacle.

From theabove description the operation ofthe device will be readilyunderstood, the mail clerk of course first vplacing the sack j upon thecarrying 'bar12 and then swinging `the crane armoutwardly `to afposition in Gopiesjdt this Vpatent may be obtained for which theVtrigger may be moved to a released position by one of the rods 38. Thecrane arm is of course then swung back into the mail car after the sackhas been delivered.

In order to permit a sack to be taken from the station a suitablecollecting hook i0 of any desired type may be mounted in the doorway ofthe mail car and provided with a handle l1 so that it may be moved intoan operative position as shown in Fig. 1.

' Vhat is claimed is 1. In a mail handling apparatus a track devicecomprising a standard, a sleeve rota* tably mounted upon said standard,a receptacle carried by said sleeve, abutment plates carried by saidsleeve and extending to the outer Aedge of said receptacle and above thereceptacle, and trigger actuating means carried by said standard.

2. In a mail handling apparatus a track device comprising a standard, asleeve rotatably mounted upon said standard, a rcceptacle carried bysaid sleeve, abutment plates carried by said sleeve and extending to theouter edge of said receptacle and means carried by said standard foractuating the trigger of a train device.

3. In a mail handling apparatus a track device comprising a standard, asleeve rotatably mounted upon said standard, a receptacle carried bysaid sleeve and 'being of less height than said sleeve, abutment platescarried by said sleeve and extending the full height thereof and fromsaid sleeve to the outer edge of said receptacle, and means carried bysaid standard for actuating a trigger forming part of a train device.

4. A mail catcher including a track device comprising a standard, asleeve rotatably mounted upon said standard, a receptacle carried bysaid 'sleeve and of less height than the sleeve, abutment plates carriedbyl in Vpresence of two witnesses.

WALTER N. AUCLAIR.

Witnesses 2' i l CHESTER H. MoNNroH, NELLIE A. LINKEY.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D.C.

